AUA LIA L
FOR MEDIA
Extract of Prime Minister's speech -to the Sports Writers
Association Annual Dinner, 29 July 1983.
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERYEMBARGOED UNTIL 8.00 P. M.
V
ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, HON, R, J, HAWKE, AC., MP,
TO THE AUSTRALIAN SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL
DINNER, WENTWORTH HOTEL, SYDNEY, JULY 29, 1983
FIRST, LET ME SAY HOW PLEASED I WAS WHEN I RECEIVED
THE INVITATION FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPORTS WRITERS
ASSOCIATION TO ADDRESS THIS DINNER AND PRESENT THE
INAUGRAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS JOURNALISM,
MANY INVITATIONS COME ACROSS MY DESK EACH WEEK,
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN YOUR REQUEST WAS FIRST
RAISED EARLIER THIS YEAR, OFFERING AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK ABOUT SPORT AND NOT POLITICS, I DIDN'T HESITATE
TO ACCEPT,
AT A GATHERING LIKE THIS WITH SO MANY LEADING
SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN, SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS AND
SPORTS JOURNALISTS IN ATTENDANCE IT MAY APPEAR
UNNECESSARY TO UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORT
SIN OUR NATIONAL LIFE.
BUT OFTEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES IS RESTRICTED
TO OUR OWN EXPERIENCES AND I WOULD LIKE TO SET OUT
HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VIEWS THE ROLE OF SPORT. / 2
THOSE WHO HAVE DESCRIBED AUSTRALIANS AS BEING OBSESSED
WITH SPORT MAY WELL HAVE UNDERSTATED THE POSITION,
No SUBJECT PROVOKES MORE ARGUMENT, AROU. SES MORE
PASSIONS AND ENTERTAINS MORE AUSTRALIANS,
MIORE THAN 70 DIFFERENT NATIONAL SPORTING BODIES
REPRESENTING MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION REGISTERED
PARTICIPANTS EXIST TO ADMINISTER THE MAJOR SPORTSADD
TO THAT FIGURE THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
AUSTRALIANS WHO ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED OUTSIDE THESE
ORGANISATIONS AND YOU BEGIN TO APPRECIATE THE EXTENT
OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SPORT.
BEYOND THOSE ACTIVELY INVOLVED ARE COUNTLESS THOUSANDS
WHO ARE ACTIVELY INTERESTED THE READERS, VIEWERS AND
to LISTENERS CATERED FOR BY SPORTS JOURNALISTS.
CLEARLY SPORT REACHES INTO MOST CORNERS OF AUSTRALIAN
LIFE. FOR MOST OF THE 80-ODD YEARS SINCE FEDERATION, GOVERNMENT
HAS PLAYED VERY LITTLE DIRECT ROLE IN SPORTING AFFAIRSNOTWITHSTANDING
THE SERIO* US THREAT To AUSTRALIAN-BRITISH
RELATIONS THAT AROSE DURING THE " BODYLINE" SERIES.
NMAF
OVER THE PAST DECADE, HOWEVER, WE HAVE SEEN THE
GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST IN, AND SUPPORT FOR,
SPORT AT FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS,
AND THERE ARE SOUND REASONS FOR THIS INVOLVEMENT,
MOST IMPORTANT, IS THAT TODAY WHEN MANY PEOPLE WORK
IN SEDENTARY OCCUPATIONS, ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING
SPORT ISA GOOD INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY HEALTH,
THE HEALTHIER OUR SOCIETY IS THE LESS DEMAND IT MA. KES
ON HEALTH SERVICES.
THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT IS THE MOST WIDELY
BECOGNISED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT.
THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS THE INSTITUTE ASSISTS AND
ENCOURAGES OUR MOST PROMISING SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN.
THE A. I. S. HAS THE SUPPORT OF BOTH PARTIES AND IS
DEVELOPING INTO A WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTION,
WHAT IS TRULY REMARKABLE IS THAT IN AUSTRALIA OF ALL
COUNTRIES IT TOOK SO LONG TO ESTABLISH SUCH A BODY.
IT IS NOW 10 YEARS SINCE THE PROPOSAL WAS FIRST
ADVANCED BY THE LATE FRANK STEWART, THE MINISTER
RESPONSIBLE FOR SPORT IN THE WHITLAM GOVERNMENT,
THE CONCEPT WAS DEVELOPED BY A STUDY GROCUP UNDER
DR. ALAN COLES AND ITS REPORT WAS TABLED IN 1975.
BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1980 THAT THE PREVIOUS
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED ITS INTENTION TO SET UP THE
INSTITUTE, IT WAS OPENED ONE YEAR LATER IN EARLY 1981,
THE INSTITUTE WAS ESTABLISHED TO ADDRESS TWO
PROBLEMS FACING YOUNG SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN.
ONE WAS THAT OFTEN THEY WERE FORCED TO CHOOSE
BETWEEN DEVELOPING THEIR SPORTING CAREERS AT THE
EXPENSE OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS; THE OTHER,
THAT IN MOST SPORTS IT WAS NECESSARY TO GO OVERSEAS
TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND FIND APPROPRIATE COMPETITION.
THE INSTITUTE NOW OFFERS TOP CLASS SPECIALISED COACHING
IN EIGHT SPORTS.) A SPORTS/ MEDICINE SCIENCE BACK-UP, TOP
CLASS COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA AND
OVERSEAS, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CANBERRA ACADEMIC
AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS,
BY ANY MEASURE, THE A. I. S, HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED MUCH,
AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES 26 OF THE 70 GOLD MEDALS
WON BY AUSTRALIANS WENT TO AIS, ATHLETES,
OUR NATIONAL NETBALL TEAM, WITH WHICH THE INSTI-TUTE
IS CLOSELY INVOLVED, HAS RECENTLY WON THE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP.
THAT MAGNIFICENT DISTANCE RUNNER ROBERT DE CASTELLA,
WHO INSPIRED US ALL WITH HIS WIN IN THE BRISBANE
MARATHON AND HAS NOW ESTABLISHED HIS DOMINANCE IN
THIS EVENT WITH HIS BRILLIANTVICTORY IN ROTTERDAM,
IS ALSO AT THE INSTITUTE,
W'ALLY MASUR, WHO WITH PAT CASH, LOOKS SET TO
RE-ESTABLISH AUSTRALIA AS A FORCE IN MEN'S TENNIS
IS YET ANOTHER A. I. S. ATHLETE,
OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT NOTABLE SUCCESSES
BY NON-A. I. S. TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS.
AND I MUST MENTION THE WORLD CHAMPION MEN'S HOCKEY
TEAM WHICH IS CAPTAINED BY A MEMBER OF MY TEAM IN
CANBERRA, DR. RIC CHARLESWORTH, THE LABOR MEMBER FOR
PERTH. S / 6
f v
THE INSTITUTE WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN THIS GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO SPORT.
AMONG THE ISSUES BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT RELATING
TO THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE A. I. S. ARE:-
AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SPORTS
INCLUDED IN ITS PROGRAM,
WHETHER MANAGEMENT OF A, I, S. FACILITIES
SHOULD BE UNDER DIRECT CONTROL OF A
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OR REMAIN WITH THE,
DEPARTMENT OF TERRITORIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT, AND
THE POSSIBLE DE-CENTRALISATION OF SOME
SPORTS PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, HOCKEY BEING
SERVICED FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
WHILE THE AMI. S. IS THE MOST VISIBLE OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAM OF ASSISTANCE TO SPORTj THERE
ARE OTHER IMPORTANT PROJECTS.
THERE IS THE SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES
FUNDS FOR NATIONAL SPORTING BODIES TO ASSIST IN
ADMINISTRATION, COACHING, INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
AND SPECIAL PROJECTS, ,/ 7
ANOTHER VITAL PROGRAM IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SPORTS FACILITIES,
WE ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO THE ASSISTANCE OF DISABLED
ATHLETES THROUGH THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR SPORT
AND RECREATION FOR THE DISABLED,
NOW I WOULD NOT WANT THIS AUDIENCE TO THINK THAT
OUR COMMITMENT IS LIMITED ONLY TO EXISTING AND
ON-GOING PROGRAMS.
AND BEFORE I OUTLINE ONE INITIATIVE THAT IS VERY
CLOSE TO BECOMING A REALITY ISHOULD PAY TRIBUTE
TO THE MINISTER FOR SPORT, RECREATION AND TOURISM,
JOHN BROWN.
OUR GOVERNMENT IS VERY FORTUNATE IN HAVING A MAN
OF JOHN'S ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM IN THIS PORTFOLIO,
NO DOUBT MANY OF YOU WILL ALREADY KNOW OF JOHN'S
CAPACITIES AND HIS LONG-STANDING AND DEEP CONCERN
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT IN AUSTRALIA,
THE GOVERNMENT WILL VERY SOON BE IN A POSITION TO
ANNOUNCE THE DETAILS OF OUR PROPOSED AUSTRALIAN SPORT
COMMISSION AN INITIATIVE THAT OWES A GREAT DEAL
TO JOHN BROWN. .7
THE COMMISSION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT IN AUSTRALIA AND
WILL NOT MERELY SEEK TO DUPLICATE FUNCTIONS
ALREADY ABLY CARRIED OUT BY OTHER BODIES.
IT WILL HAVE AS ITS MAIUI TASK CO-ORDINATING
THE NATIONAL EFFORT IN SPORT AND RECREATION
AND WILL REPLACEj EVENTUALLYJ THE EXISTING SPORTS
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE COMMISSION WILL WORK WITH ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT AND WITH SPORTING AND RECREATION
ORGANISAT IONS.
THE NEW COMMISSION WILL BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ISSUES
THAT EMERGE IN SPORT AND RECREATION BECAUSE IT WILL
BE A FLEXIBLE BODY WITH A LARGE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY.
IWOULD LIKE NOW TO TURN TO AN ISSUE THAT IS OF
VERY REAL CONCERN NOT JUST TO THOSE OF YOU CLOSELY
INVOLVED IN SPORTj BUT TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND
THAT IS THE QUESTION OF SPORTING CONTACTS WITH
SOUTH AFRICA,
BEFORE GOING TO SOME OF THE ISSUES IN DETAIL IT
IS NECESSARY TO MAKE A FEW PRELIMINARY POINTS,
OUR GOVERNMENT IS FUNDAMENTALLY AND UNRESERVEDLY
OPPOSED TO THE SYSTEM OF APARTHEID THAT OPERATES
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THE VERY FIRM AND CLEAR STAND OUR GOVERNMENT HAS
TAKEN ATTRACTS, I BELIEVE, 31-PARTISAN SUPPORT.
IN FACT, DURING THE REGENT ELECTION CAMPAIGN ON A
NUMBER OF OCCASIONS I COMMENDED THE GENERAL STANCE
TAKEN BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA.
BUT ON THE QUESTION OF SPORTING CONTACTS WITH
SOUTH AFRICA SOME OF THE ACTIONS OF THE PREVIOUS
GOVERNMENT LED TO SOME CONFUSION AMONG SPORTSMEN AND
WOMEN AND SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS.
NO DOUBT YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS
CURRENTLY REVIEWING THIS WHOLE QUESTION WITH A
VIEW TO ENDING THIS CONFUSION AND GIVING
AUSTRALIAN SPORTS ORGANISATIONS AND SPORTSMEN
AND WOMEN CLEAR GUIDELINES ON SPORTING CONTACTS
WITH SOUTH AFRICA, ~ 1
TAM,'
THERE CAN BE NO DEBATE ABOUT THE EXISTING BAN ON
THE ENTRY OR TRANSIT THROUGH AUSTRALIA OF SOUTH
AFRICAN SPORTING TEAMS THAT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE,
HOWEVER, THERE ARE THREE AREAS NOW UNDER EXAMINATION
WHICH ARE MORE COMPLEX AND NOT YET THE SUBJECT OF
FINAL GOVERNMENT DECISIONS
9 INDEED, BEFORE ANY FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE WE WILL
BE ANXIOUS TO HEAR THE VIEWS OF SPORTING ORGANISATIONS.
THESE AREAS ARE:-
THE ENTRY OF INDIVIDUAL SOUTH AFRICAN
SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN NOT CLAIMING TO
REPRESENT SOUTHi AFRICA,
CONTACTS BETWEEN AUSTRALIAN AND SOUTH
AFRICAN SPORTSMEN IN INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITIONS IN THIRD COUNTRIES, AND
THE ENTRY To AUSTRALIA OF SPORTSMEN AND
WOMEN FROM THIRD COUNTRIES WHO HAVE COMPETED
AGAINST SOUTH AFRICAN TEAMS,
f EACH OF THESE ISSUES WILL NEED FULL AND CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION,
1I-.
BUT WHATEVER THE DECISIONS OF OUR GOVERNMENT, THE
END RESULT WILL BE A SYSTEM THAT IS CLEAR CUT AND
LEAVES AUSTRALIAN SPORTING BODIES AND INDIVIDUALS
IN NO DOUBT AS TO OUR POLICY.
BEFORE I LEAVE THIS SUBJECT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A FEW FINAL POINTS,
A RECENT DEVELOPMENT WHICH THE GOVERNMENT VIEWS
WITH REGRET IS THE EFFORT OF SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORITIES
TO ENCOURAGE INTERNATIONAL SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN TO COME
TO THAT COUNTRY BY OFFERING LARGE FINANCIAL INDUCEMENTS.
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT REGRETS THAT MANY SPORTSMEN AND
WOMEN HAVE SUCCUMBED TO THESE INDUCEMENTS IT IS ALSO
AWARE THAT MANY SPORTSi INCLUDING SEVERAL AUSTRALIAN
SPORTING ORGANISATIONS, HAV'E REJECTED THE OPPORTUNITY
TO GO TO SOUTH AFRICA,
THEY HAVE DONE THIS EVEN THOUGH COMPETITION THERE
WOULD HAVE BROUGHT LARGE FINANCIAL REWARDS TO THESE
SPORTING ASSOCIATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THIS ATTITUDE DESERVES THE
PRAISE AND SUPPORT OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY,
IN THE END, HOWEVER, IT WILL BE FOR SPORTSMEN
AND WOMEN TO EXAMINE THEIR OWN CONSCIENCES WHEN
IT COMES TO PLAYING IN' SOUTH AFRICA.
APARTHEID IS A MORAL ISSUE WHICH EFFECTS* EV/ ERY
MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND
THE SITUATION REMAINS THAT THE BASIC INJUSTICES
OF THE APARTHEID SYSTEM DENIES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
TO SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN OF DIFFERENT RACES IN
SOUTH AFRICA.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, ' AUSTRALIA LOOKS TO THE DAY
WHEN IT CAN COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST OF ALL SOUTH
AFRICANS AND CAN PIT ITS ATHLETES AGAINST TEAMS
AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED ON THE
BASIS OF MERIT AND WHO HAVE HAD THE FULLEST
OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND DISPLAY THAT MERIT
IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR RACE.
IWOULD NOT LIKE TO END MY REMARKS TO YOU TONIGHT
WITHOUT OFFERING SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRODUCT
OF THE LABOURS OF THE SPORTS JOURNALISTS HERE TONIGHT.
AS A POLITICIAN, AND THEREFORE A KEEN NEWSPAPER
READER, I MUST CONFESS THAT ON ONE OR TWO OCCASIONS
IHAVE FOUND THE NEWS DIET MUCH MORE PALATABLE IN
THE SPORTING SECTION THAN ON THE FRONT PAGES OR
IN THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS,
AND AS AN OCCASIONAL PUN'TER IWOULD ALSO LIKE
TO THANK THOSE TURF ANALYSTS WHO HAVE INFREQUENTLY
PROVIDED ME WITH A WINNER.
IMUST ALSO SAY THAT THE QUALITY OF SPORTS WRITING
HAS IMPROVED MARKEDLY IN RECENT YEARS AS NEWSPAPERS
HAVE ADAPTED TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF THE
INSTANTANEOUS BROADCASTING AND THE SAME DAY REPLAY
OF SPORTING EVENTS.
THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF THOUGHTFUL AND ENTERTAINING
WqRITING AS OPPOSED TO STRICT REPORTING IN THE SPORTS
PAGES OF OUR MAJOR NEWSPAPERS.
THE LAST DECADE HAS ALSO SEEN A SHARP IMPROVEMENT
IN THE PRESENTATION OF SPORT ON TELEVISION.
PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE TELEVISION IS NOW MORE
CONCERNED AS A MEDIUM WITH NEWS AND SPORT THAN
ENTERTAINMENT AS A RESULT OF T-HE EXPLOSION IN THE
HOME VIDEO INDUSTRY, / J14
i14,
WHATEVER THE REASON I THINK WE ARE ALL THANKFUL
THAT THE DAYS OF THE SINGLE, FIXED CAMERA COVERAGE
OF CRICKET HAS ENDED.
NOR COULD WE HAVE EXPECTED TEN YEARS AGO THE
MAGNIFICENT COVER OF THE BRISBANE COMMONWEALTH
GAMES PROVIDED BY THE ABC.
IF THERE IS ANY CRITICISM TO BE MADE OF SPORTS
JOURNALISM IT IS THAT NOT ENOUGH OF YOUR RESOURCES
SEEM TO BE DIRECTED TO REPORTING WHAT ARE CLASSIFIED
AS MINOR'I SPORTS BUT COMMAND LARGE FOLLOWINGS
( FOR EXAMPLE, NETBALL) AND TO THE COVERAGE OF
WOMEN'S SPORT.
OVERALL, I BELIEVE AUSTRALIANS HAVE REASON TO
BE PROUD NOT JUST OF OUR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
AND TRADITIONS BUT OF THE SPORTS JOURNALISTS
WHO COVER THESE EVENTS.
AND IF OCCASIONALLY YOUR WORK RESULTS IN PUSHING
THE GOVERNMENT OFF THE FRONT PAGE OR OFF THE TOP
OF THE NEWS BULLETINS IWILL NOT BE TOO RESENTFUL.